The trade deadline is approaching and fantasy values of some players will change. Since they moved the deadline back a few years ago, ‘out of contention’ teams have looked to unload players for future picks.

There are still some pretty significant injuries again affecting teams this week. QB Deshaun Watson, RB LeSean McCoy and RB Marshawn Lynch are the new-ish names on the list.

Can the Cincinnati Bengals fantasy stars do some damage against the weak Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass defense?

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 8 of the 2018 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green

I want to explain what I mean by “sit” and “start.” Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. My ‘sit’ players are guys I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.

START’EM

• QB Mitchell Trubisky (Chicago Bears) – Since there are at least two top-ten quarterbacks on bye this week (Matt Ryan & Philip Rivers), you may need a quarterback this week. Trubisky hasn’t been the most consistent quarterback, but he could rack up some yards against the banged-up Jets. He could be the best QB on the waiver wire in your league.
• WR A.J. Green (Cincinnati Bengals) – Green started the year off with four touchdowns in the first two games, but he hasn’t caught a touchdown pass since late-September. WR Tyler Boyd has been eating into Green’s targets, but it shouldn’t be a problem this week. The Bengals face the Bucs, one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. QB Andy Dalton should bounce back after a bad performance against the Chiefs.
• RB Chris Ivory (Buffalo Bills) – RB LeSean McCoy only lasted a few minutes into last week’s games against the Colts. He suffered a concussion and possible lower body injury. He is in concussion protocol and is in danger of missing their Monday Night Football game at home versus the Patriots. If McCoy can’t go, Ivory will be the guy. He took over last week and had success against the Colts. He also suffered an undisclosed injury, but Ivory is downplaying the injury. It stinks that the game is Monday and you’re a bit in limbo with McCoy’s injury situation, but adding Ivory would be a smart play.
• QB Baker Mayfield (Cleveland Browns) – Mayfield faces the Steelers for the first time his career on Sunday. You wouldn’t think it would be a good matchup in fantasy, but the Steelers defense has allowed the 4th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Mayfield has some weapons and could find the end zone a few times.
• RB Jalen Richard (Oakland Raiders) – Marshawn Lynch was put on IR with a groin injury and it appears that RB Doug Martin will be the starting running back for the Raiders. Based on his performance the last two years, I don’t have any confidence that Martin will be very successful. Richard has been used more on passing downs, but I expect him to be used a lot more and could be a good replacement for Lynch in fantasy.
• New England Patriots Defense & Special Teams – The Bills are banged up and is arguably the worst team in the NFL. The Patriots should have an easy night and will force a couple turnovers on Monday.
• WR Robby Anderson (New York Jets) – The Jets wider receivers are banged up and they are signing guys off the scrap heap. This led the Anderson being the most targeted Jets receiver last week. He’s a talented guy with a lot of speed, but he has been in the doghouse up until he was needed. The Jets face the Bears and may struggle passing the ball, but QB Sam Darnold needs to throw to someone…and Anderson is the most talented healthy receiver on the team.
• TE O.J. Howard (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Howard has won the playing time battle over teammate TE Cameron Brate. Howard is a better blocker and is a more well-rounded tight end. QB Jameis Winston looks for Howard in the red zone and looks for him nearly ten times a game. He faces the Bengals, which allows the eight-most points to opposing tight ends this season.
• TE Evan Engram (New York Giants) – Engram missed the previous three games before seeing limited action last week. He was a preseason top-ten ranked fantasy tight end and could be out there on the waiver wire. He should be a solid contributor down the stretch.
• Arizona Cardinals Defense & Special Teams – The Cardinals face the Niners on Sunday (a game that could be hard to watch). Arizona has averaged almost three sacks per game and have an interception in all but one game. I don’t expect much scoring in the game, so starting the Cardinals could be a smart play.
• RB Nick Chubb (Cleveland Browns) – The Browns traded RB Carlos Hyde to the Jaguars last week and it really opened up a lot of playing time for the rookie. Chubb was the workhorse running back while RB Duke Johnson came in on some passing downs. Since there are four teams on buy, Chubb could be a smart flex play this week.
• WR Christian Kirk (Arizona Cardinals) – Kirk is becoming one of QB Josh Rosen’s favorite targets. He is right there with WR Larry Fitzgerald with the amount of targets he receives. As I said before, I don’t think the Cardinals/Niners game will produce many points, but Kirk could be a good flex option.
• RB Latavius Murray (Minnesota Vikings) – Murray has had two very good fantasy outputs in his last two games. He found the end zone three times and has averaged over 100 yards from scrimmage per game. RB Dalvin Cook is still bothered by his hamstring injury and Murray could start again versus the Saints on Sunday Night Football.
• WR David Moore (Seattle Seahawks) [DEEP LEAGUES] – Moore has found the end zone three times in Seattle’s two games before their bye. His value is highly dependent on touchdowns, but could be a great pickup in deep leagues.

SIT’EM

• WR Chris Hogan (New England Patriots) – Many thought Hogan would benefit from WR Danny Amendola’s departure and WR Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension. He didn’t do anything of note during Edelman’s suspension and now that he’s back (and the addition of WR Josh Gordon), Hogan’s fantasy value is very low.
• RB Jamaal Williams (Green Bay Packers) – Green Bay has been sharing playing time between Williams, Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery. Williams isn’t producing very much and Jones isn’t getting enough touches to be fantasy worthy either. Hell, I wouldn’t want any Packers running back right now.
• QB Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) – Stafford’s season started off horrible in his worst game of his career in Week 1 versus the Jets. Things have improved, but he isn’t the dependable fantasy quarterback this year. The difference is that he has a bit of a running game for the first time in years. He faces Seattle on Sunday and I don’t like his fantasy prospects this week.
• RB Royce Freeman (Denver Broncos) – This one is pretty simple. Freeman is now getting only a small percentage of the playing time he shared with RB Philip Lindsay in Week 1. Lindsay is performing well and Freeman just isn’t doing much with the little amount of touches he receives.
• WR Dede Westbrook (Jacksonville Jaguars) – QB Blake Bortles is struggling to make throws. He was benched last game, but head coach Doug Marrone said he will start against the Eagles in London. I don’t want any Jaguars wide receiver on my team and Westbrook seems to be the one most owned.
• RB Ronald Jones (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Jones is getting lost in the offense. RB Peyton Barber has a firm grasp on the starting job. Jones isn’t really worth a roster spot as a handcuff.
• TE Jordan Reed (Washington Redskins) – Reed is having an off-year. He was one of the first tight ends drafted in most leagues and it’s not paying off those teams. The change in quarterback, injuries and the emergence of TE Vernon Davis in a two tight end set. Reed may still be a lower-end of the top 10, but I’d rather have someone with more touchdown upside.
• Jacksonville Jaguars Defense & Special Teams – The Jaguars have an excellent defense…in a vacuum. Now that their offense is broken, they are often stuck in poor field position. They face the Eagles, which is a better overall team right now. I’d rather stream a defense than roster the Jags defense.
• QB Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans) – He has a partially-collapsed lung and is still playing. He struggled last week and they relied heavily on RB Lamar Miller. I expect a lot of the same on Thursday against the Dolphins. Watson is just a little too banged up for me to start him.
• WR Pierre Garcon (San Francisco 49ers) – Niners QB C.J. Beathard just isn’t looking for Garcon. WR Marquise Goodwin and TE George Kittle are the only pass catchers you want on the Niners. Garcon fared better with QB Jimmy Garoppolo and doesn’t seem to even be on Beathard’s radar when going through his progressions.
• RB Duke Johnson (Cleveland Browns) – Johnson is another player owned in over 65% of all leagues that should be dropped. Even with RB Carlos Hyde shipped elsewhere, Johnson isn’t playing enough to be owned. RB Nick Chubb is the workhorse and Johnson still isn’t getting much work. 

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.